KABUL: The Taliban government may have banned international NGOs from offering education to out-of-school Afghan children, Unicef said on Thursday, putting the teaching of half a million boys and girls at risk.

The UN agency said it was seeking more information on reports that authorities did not want foreign organisations directly involved in the education sector.

Since seizing power almost two years ago, Taliban authorities have blocked girls and women from secondary schools and universities.

“Unicef is deeply concerned by reports that over 500,000 children, including over 300,000 girls, could lose out on quality learning through Community Based Education within a month if international non-governmental organisations working in the field of education are no longer allowed to operate,” the agency said in a statement.

It said the agency was “seeking to better understand the reported directive”, which Taliban leaders have so far not publicly commented on.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2023